Allowances, transport among Univen students’ key concerns during strike
Following the disruption of several businesses and learning at the University of Venda (Univen) due to students embarking on protest action, university management was summoned to meet with students on Monday, 19 March.
LIMPOPO –Â Univen suspended the academic programme during the protest action and instructed students to vacate the campus.
During the meeting, the Student Representative Council (SRC) handed Univen management a memorandum of grievances.
https://capricornreview.co.za/123829/univen-student-strike-cripples-businesses/
SRC representative, Gcina Mhlabane, said among the concerns mentioned in the memorandum, aside from the book and food allowances, were transport and off-campus allowances.
“We are glad to announce those students who stay off campus, will receive a transport allowance of R900 per month.
“We are still in negotiations for off-campus allowances,” Mhlabane said.
He added some of the issues they want university management to deal with include incomplete residences, a shortage of lecturers and lecture halls and the library should operate all hours of the day, every day of the week.
They also want the university to do away with the outsourcing of security and cleaning personnel.
The Univen Acting Vice Chancellor and Principal, Prof Jan Crawford, said the memorandum shed some light on what the students were protesting about as the university management previously had to deduce what this was from social media posts.
“The university management is committed to work with the SRC to address and resolve the issues affecting the students,” said Crawford.
